How to Relax by Playing Your Guitar

The guitar is a beautiful instrument. Sometimes life gets complicated, and for some people, playing this instrument can help relieve trapped emotions and stress. If you are here to learn how calm yourself by playing and you don't know how, all you need is a little guidance.

Creating Calm Surroundings

Eliminate audible destractions in your room. Turn off the television, the radio, or anything else that does not emit a calming sound. Close your door if you have a noisy family. Perhaps lock it if you have a room mate or siblings who like to barge in without permission.

Talk with your parents about your siblings if they won't listen when you ask them to quiet down.

If you share a room with a sibling, talk to him or her about having the room temporily for playing your music. Say that it will only take twenty minutes and that you will be done shortly.

Clean the area you are going to occupy for music. If it's your bedroom, open the curtains, make your bed, and clean up the floor. Need a quick fix? Shove all that random stuff under your bed and come back to it later. For now, focus on getting a suitable area to play your guitar.

You can find a nice place in your backyard. If you don't like the thought of ruggedly sitting on the grass to play, you can lay down an old quilt or sheet. Plus, you'll have somewhere to place your music journals without them getting dirty or damaged.

You can chill on a bench at the park, as long as it is somewhere that is not congested (unless you enjoy people stopping by to watch you play.)

You can even sit under a shady tree. Just be sure to watch out for ant beds and inspect the tree for nested spiders and critters.

Mental Relaxation

Relax Your Mind. Clear out any unwanted thoughts and focus on what you really want to do. Think:

I am here to play music.

The music I am about to play will calm me.

Every chord and note I play eases any uncertainty I have.

Focus on your breathing. Breathing also affects how your music will turn out. If you are hyper and your breathing is not consistent, sometimes that "slow and graceful" song you wanted to strum might be able to wake your neighbor up from a mile away. Well, not exactly. But you get the point.

Take a long slow breath in through your nose, first filling your lower lungs and then your upper lungs. Hold your breath to the count of 2 or 3 seconds, then exhale, relaxing your stomach muscles.

Listen and take in your surroundings. Depeding on where you are, the sounds around you will affect your attitude, emotions, and music. Do you hear birds churping? Is there a blizzard outside? Is there a fire crackling before you? What color is the sky? Starry and dark? Blue?

If you live in a particulary quiet environment, listen to absolutely nothing. Literally. When you acknowlege the silence around you, you will appreciate the sound of your guitar more.

Throw on a half smile. Relax the muscles around your eyes, smoothen out your eyebrows, and put on a gentle half-smile. Believe it or not, you'll begin to feel a sense of well-being, like the world is entirely yours.

You can also think of the outside corners of your eyes raising.

Play three through five chords, and with each one, list the things you are grateful for. It may sound weird, but subconsciously, you are attatching the things you say to your music.

Then, sing what you previously said in tune with the chords.

Now with your basic lyrics, create a "mental mood song." Put together your words with the chord progression, filling in each chord with extra lyrics that pop up in your mind.

Repeat this exercize in a different way, if desired. Mention things you don't like or things you wish to acomplish. Make this mood song your own.

Good Guitar Posture

Practise good posture in general. This section will go into different postures for different occations, but learn the right professional posture beforehand. Having good posture will lessen the possibility of injuries, aches, and strains.

Make sure there is something behind you to support your back if you are sitting on the ground (not a chair). Here are some suggestions if you find yourself playing in a camping environment:

a truck tire (or any vehicle that you own)

a tree trunk

a wall

a log

Try crossing your legs, to help with sitting on the ground more comfortably. Rest one foot over the other and prop your guitar on the meatiest part of your dominant thigh. This will reduce back strain and slouching.

Use a guitar strap for standing and playing. If you are going to play the guitar while leaning against a wall or truck, always allow your head to rest against the wall as well to reduce neck strain. Prop your knee up, bracing your foot against the wall for more comfort.

Use a guitar pick for a louder sound. The trick is to hold the pick between your thumb and your index finger. Do not lock your wrist and just use your elbow.

Play with your fingers if you prefer a natural feeling. Playing with your fingers is more common when playing a classic guitar with nylon strings. The sound may be lower, especially if you prefer a more personal style of play in public.

Reflection

Sing along to the music. Singing is fun and sometimes funny. Find a song that relates to your current situation, or one that you have already written, learn the chords, and sing along! Singing can open up your voice if you have anxienty, which usually tightens your throat when it happens. Singing is also a dramatic way of talking to yourself. Singing whatever pops into your head. Look, it's a melody diary!

Feel the music. If you have enough guitar experience and enough muscle memory for chord progressions without looking, close your eyes and feel the music. Visualize where it takes you. Does it take you back to a memory? A moment in your life that you loved or hated? Acknowledge these thoughts and how they make you feel, and release them through your music.

Reflect on your experiences. Think about who you are and the good thigs you have done for people. Question your beliefs and reality, and how you can change them.

What things can you start doing in the future to better yourself as a guitar player?

How can you make other people's lives better by playing to them?

Choose calm songs to play for relaxation that have relatable lyrics. Here are a few simple suggestions if you plan to take the "heartbreak route":

We Could be Stars - by Alessia Cara | Chord progression (D-Em-G)

Too Good at Goodbyes - by Sam Smith | Chord progression (Am-C-G-Dm)

Ghosts - by Banners | Chord progression (C-Em-Fm-Am)

Do it because you know it will help you as a human being. Music, for most people, is a method of freedom. Make it your freedom. Make it who you are and it will come easier.

Tips

After bringing your guitar inside, wipe it down and store it appropriately.

Put a smile on your face after playing. Even if you don't feel like you have acomplished anything by playing, know that you have. You have gained experience.

Open up your windows! Let some air in. It just might help your breating control.

Warnings

If you plan to play outside your home, be aware of your surroundings.

Have a case for your guitar if you decide to bring it anywhere outside. Your guitar must be protected from the outside elements.

Never leave your guitar unattented. Chances are if it's expensive and pretty, some idiot will steal it from you.

Do not get in the way of others. Don't play in the middle of sidewalks, don't sit in a dog park and play, and don't sing abnoxiously in public.

Never leave your guitar in the grass or on the ground. Insects will nest in the sound hole of your guitar.